ISLAMABAD: The Senate defence committee was informed by the ministry of defence that Pakistan's defence budget is the lowest in the region despite its location in the red zone in terms of growing threats to its security.

According to the United Nations, Pakistan had a gross domestic product of US $215 billion in the year 2012. In comparison, GDP for Turkey was recorded at $788 billion, India at $1,875bn, and China at $8,358bn.

He disclosed that all defence and defence production organisations get their funds from defence budget allocated by the federal government and approved by the Parliament.

â€œPakistan Army gets 48 per cent of the whole defence budget while 20pc goes to Pakistan Air force and Navy gets only 10pc,â€ the senior Air force officer said.

When asked about budget of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the additional secretary said the countryâ€™s premier intelligence agency also gets its money from the budget allocated for defence.

However, he avoided replying to questions about specific budgetary allocations for the ISI and its audit, saying, â€œSince the Indian RAW and Isreali Mossadâ€™s budget is not disclosed,â€ so he would not say anything about the spy agencyâ€™s budget.

â€œThere is absolute transparency in the making of the defence budget and strong audit and accountancy mechanism is well placed to check its proper spending,â€ the defence official said.

AVM Quddus admitted that military pensions, which have risen to over Rs100 billion, were not given from the defence budget but from civilian allocations.

He said whatever is left at the end of the financial year is returned to the federal government by the ministry of defence adding that defence establishment also returns annually Rs34 billion under various taxes out of the whole Rs570 billion defence budget.

The additional defence secretary showed his annoyance over certain questions by the media and members of the committee including Senator Farhatullah Babur and Senator Sughra Imam of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Speaking on the occasion, chairman of the committee, Senator Mushahid Hussain syed said this was first time in Parliamentary history that the ministry of defence was taking into confidence the defence committee and the media over the defence budget.

â€œThere has been no genuine defence minister in Pakistanâ€™s political history and with part-time minister, defence system will not work,â€ Mushahid remarked. He disclosed that when Parliamentary committee on national security formulated its terms of reference on reopening of Nato supplies, GHQ or ISI were not consulted and it was a sole parliamentary decision.

Senator Babar questioned the security establishmentâ€™s vast network of industrial, commercial and business enterprises throughout the country and said it had been kept out of public and parliamentary discourse and called upon the members of Parliament to equip themselves with knowledge and expertise to be able to exercise rigorous oversight of the Milbus.

â€œThere is need to look into state subsidies and other support provided to these entities including Fauji Foundation, Army Welfare Trust, Shaheen Foundation, Bahria Foundation, Frontier Works Organisation, National Logistioc Cell and scores of others and examine its adverse impact on the growth of free market economy,â€ the PPP leader commented.

Before I could comment here is a comment already made by a Indian on the site.

Pakistan Def EXP US$5.7 billion - GDP US $215 billion, This is 2.65% of Total GDP of Pakistan...!!

Indian Def EXP US$37.256 billion - GDP $1,875bn, This is just 1.98 % of the Total GDP of India...!!

If my maths is correct then Pakistan is spending more on it's Defense than India in terms of ratio...!! and it's not India's fault that it's economy is the third largest in the world - so DAWN please give the correct information to your people on defense spending....also thanks for giving opportunity for post my comment...